AnswerAt age 27 with $150k income, the median US net worth is $157,000. The 75th percentile is $440,000. You can see where you rank below.
Median: $157,000 · 75th percentile: $440,000
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 data (released Sept 2023)
Am I behind at age 27 on $150k?
Median net worth for US households age 27 earning $150k is $157,000; top 10% starts at $890,000. Sourced from the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances.
A 27-year-old household at $150K typically reflects a senior IC at a top tech firm, a finance associate post-bonus, or a dual-income professional couple. The SCF median net worth of $157,000 — roughly a year's income — suggests this cohort has converted high earnings into measurable assets, often with a starter home or significant brokerage balance in the mix.
Your numbers
Used to pick your SCF age bracket (Under 35).
Your SCF income tier: $100,000 – $200,000. Use gross household income, not take-home.
Total assets minus total liabilities. Negative values are allowed.
- 25th percentile
- $32,000
- Median (50th)
- $157,000
- 75th percentile
- $440,000
- Top 10% (90th)
- $890,000
- Top 1% (99th)
- $2,800,000
Your ranking
How this number is calculated
We look up your age and income in the Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent SCF, released Sept 2023), then interpolate your position between published 25th/50th/75th/90th/99th percentile breakpoints for that age×income cell. Figures are nominal 2022 USD. Households with similar age and income show meaningful net-worth variance — the percentile reflects how your balance sheet compares to theirs, not to the full US population.
What these numbers mean for age 27, $150k
Compared to age 25, a $150K earner at 27 has had more time for equity vesting cliffs to pass, for a starter property to appreciate, and for taxable brokerage accounts to grow alongside maxed retirement accounts. The SCF median of $157,000 indicates that the typical household here is roughly on a 1x-income-by-30 trajectory, with the disciplined savers significantly past it. Promotion to senior IC or first-line manager often happens around this age, accelerating compensation further.
The 75th percentile of $440,000 at 27 typically requires more than five years of saving alone — it usually combines an early starter-home purchase that appreciated, vested startup or pre-IPO equity, and a high savings rate maintained from age 22. Couples in dual-tech-income arrangements can reach this band by combining two streams of RSU-heavy compensation, even without inheritance or family help.
The 90th percentile of $890,000 nearly always involves an equity tailwind: a successful tech IPO, an early-employee stake at an acquired startup, or substantial real-estate appreciation. The 99th percentile of $2.8M is functionally inaccessible through earned saving and reflects inherited wealth or extreme equity outcomes from being founder-adjacent.
Benchmarks for age 27, $150k
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2022 (released September 2023). Figures in 2022 USD. Your seeded percentile if net worth equals the median for this cell: 50th.
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Frequently asked questions
What's a realistic five-year saving plan from $150K at age 27?
Maxing 401(k) at $23K, capturing employer match, contributing $7K to a backdoor Roth, and adding $30-50K to taxable brokerage produces $60-80K in annual savings. Over five years with average returns, this can grow to roughly $400-500K in additional net worth.
Is a 27-year-old at $150K likely partnered or single?
Both are common. Solo earners at this income are typically in tech, finance, or specialized engineering. Dual-income couples at $75K each are far more numerous demographically and increasingly cluster in this cell as both partners advance through their late twenties.
How does the mega backdoor Roth strategy fit at this income and age?
If the employer 401(k) supports after-tax contributions and in-service Roth conversions, a 27-year-old can move an additional $30-40K per year into Roth space. This can dramatically increase tax-free retirement assets over a 35-year horizon, often by $1-2M in present-value terms.
Should this household pay off a mortgage early or invest the surplus?
With mortgage rates above 6% and equity returns averaging 7-9%, the math is closer than it has been in a decade. Many advisors suggest a balanced approach — extra principal payments alongside continued investment — rather than a strict either/or choice.
How much of this cohort owns vs. rents their primary residence?
It varies by metro. In mid-cost cities, ownership rates among $150K earners at 27 often exceed 50%. In high-cost coastal cities, rental rates remain dominant well into the early thirties due to entry-cost barriers.
Is investing in a brother or friend's startup smart at this stage?
Generally only with money you can fully afford to lose. At 27, even at this income, the more reliable wealth path is diversified index investing through tax-advantaged accounts. Angel-style investing usually makes more sense after liquid net worth crosses the $500K mark.
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use published benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between published cells. Figures are in current-year USD unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.